The Bozeman weekly chronicle., 1887-10-05
A SWAMP MYSTERY.


reach of the seaboard and had established
his headquarters at Newbern. No battles
followed very soon, nor any storms to
speak of, but tho army and the weather
were fast getting into II high state of
preparation for either kind of event.
There were Union troops at Fort Macon
and MOrehead city, not many miles up
the coast from Newbern, and much pay
was due them.
The money came down from the north
in July, and couple of paymasters re-
ceived orders to go at once and deal it out
10 the men.
Before the war railway had been con-
structed from Newbern to Morehead City.
Its rails were still there, but all its rolling
stock, with the exception of one hand car,
had gone into the interior of the state.
The viaduct was only just wide enough to
carry the rails, and much of its course
was through swamp whose dense bushes
were now luxuriantly reaching out as il
they meant to capture the track before the
end of the season.
The quartermaster placed his one hand
car at the disposal Of the paymasters lie
did SO with the pleasant information that
on the previous evening the busy Confed-
crates had made q raid and had swept
away all the pickets posted along the line
Of the railway. New pickets had been
posted, he told them, and their proposed
trip would be reasonably safe
"That is" said he, 81 guess you're safe
from any Confeds, but if you don't get
through before dark I'd advise you to be
pretty prompt about answering any hail.
The boys'll all be wide awake this time.
They won't be slow about taking care of
themselves in the dark. Not man of 'em
wants to go to Wilmington Just now, nor
to Andersonville either.
That warning made the paymasters
shake their heads and grow in importance
before the hand car set out, for it was
plain enough that it would be dark be-
fore the trip could be half made. Precisely
how dark it would be Or why was not as
yet imagined by anybody.
There were nine men huddled on that
hand car when 1t went. A sergeant and
four soldiers were its motive power, guard
and garrison. The writer of this story
was there altogether as an adventurer
Two paymasters, with the rank of major,
and one clerk were in charge of black
box containing over $50, 900 in grcenbacks
to be scattered among the volunteers on
the morrow.
The air grew more and more close and
began to rise over the eastern horizon.
''That's it, major" said the sergeant to
one of the paymasters. "We're going to
hear from Cape Hatteras.''
storm comingT"
Fright along. 'Twon't take it long to
come"
He was correct as to the time required
by Cape Hatteras, or whatever was man
aging that storm. The sky rapidly grew
black as ink and darkness came with but
moderate reference to the departing sun.
Just before entering the denser thickets
of the swamps picket. was reached and
the officer in charge repeated the warning
Of the quartermaster.
BE ready to answer right away. It'll
be pitch dark, and some of the boys are
nervous after last nights work. They'll
shoot quick"
This was to the sergeant, but it was O
paymaster who replied:
well. now, captain, we didn't say but
we thought the trip would be safer by
night than by day. The men have got to
have the money"
her through, sergeant, but look sharp.
The storms most got here"
He also was correct about the. weather
In ten minutes more such storm had ar
rived as was credit to Cape Hatteras and
the whole seacoast Of North Carolina. On
rolled the hand car, its crouching passen-
gers drenched with rain, that fell in
streams rather than drops. The lightning
flashed almost ineessantly and the thunder
seemed to be rolling around all over the
swamp. Except where a streak of light
ming cleft it, the darkness was like q solid
wall. and there was neither head light nor
lantern provided for that hand car
"Worst storm l ever saw" remarked
the sergeant; and one Of the brace of men
who were acting as motive power gruntc,l
back at him: Its the worst kind of II
storm, but you can't see it."
1t was a just correction Of the statement
made by the sergeant; but at that moment
hoarse, deep, sepulchral voice from
among the bushes and blackness at the
right of the track commanded:
''Haltr'
''Stop herl Quick, boys!' exclaimed the
sergeant, and as the men changed instant
ly from motive power into brakes, he
sprang from the car into water above his
knees and waded forward to answer the
hail and give the countersign.
1t was all in vain. Down came double
deluge of rain and thicker darkness. Then
vividness of blue electricity danced
through the dropping bushes and great
roar of thunder followed MS il in search
of the hidden "picket." Neither rain nor
lightning nor thunder nor anxious aues-
tionings of the sergeant discovered him.
There he was, or must have been, dead
or alive, for he had said Halt" but that
was apparently oil he had to say.
The sergeant splashed his way back to
the hand car, using very strong language,
and it was decided to go forward.
"We're just as likely TO be fired into
first thing" remarked the paymaster's
clerk, land they'd hit some of us sure"
Both of the paymasters agreed with
him, and one expressed his satisfaction
that the box containing the greenbacks
was waterproof.
''That's more than l am," said one of
the soldiers. ''This ERE rains got through
my roof. can feel 1t trickle down inside
Of me-"
The hand car was not propelled rapidly
after that, but the lightning and thunder
worked harder than ever. Perhaps half a
mile had been gained when another voice,
on the left this time and no. 30 near, but
equally hoarse and reremptory, shouted:
"Haltp'
Other words which seemed to folloy.
were swallowed up by wide mouthed
clap Of thunder, and SO was the sergeaDt's
prompt response, but in an instant he was
among the bushes.
The first we heard from him was:
"Boys, it's up to my waist and getting
deeperl''
''Go on, sergeant" shouted one of the
paymasters. They'll be shooting at us
II they don't get IN answer"
"Hurrah for Gen. Burnsider squawked
the paymaster's clerk, in the vague effort
to let any supposed picket know which
side he was on, but severe sternness
from the further end bade him:
"Shut up! Halt! Come alongr'
"1'm comingr' shouted the sergeant.
"Friendl paymasterr'
'Shut up! Come alongr' responded the
threatening voice beyond him.
For full quarter of an hour the ser
geant groped and fioundered among those
bushes. Again he used strong language,
very strong indeed; but not soul came to
meet him, nor did another word reply to
his repeated requests that the picket
should advise him as to what couse he
should take.
The party on the hand car cowed under
sheets and torrents and whole millponds
of falling water, and hoped that there
might be cessation of the lightning
flashes, so that any hidden rileman would
be less able to shoot straight
81 give it up" said the voice of the SER
geant at last. He was only three PAGES
from the car, but was invisible
''The boys know who we are" said one
Of the soldiers, land we can go on; but
ff1 NJ. rf,,l. .aIr